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Would the early viewers who laughed through the initial SpongeBob adventures have envisioned the franchise persisting for a quarter-century, following absorbing the most lysergic of plotlines? Such longevity is in part attributed to its wide-ranging charm, amusing the sense of humor of grown-ups – perhaps even those former students – as well as the very young viewers. While it may not feature anything as surprising as the legendary David Hasselhoff cameo in the 2004 movie, this latest movie thinks nothing of making a veteran voice actor speak as a pirate while handing out payments to stars like Barbra Streisand. This proves anything can still in the whimsical world of Bikini Bottom.

A Familiar Zany Vibe

Starting with a festive short starring Paramount's other weathered family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob movie quickly finds a comfortably goofy groove. Its storyline acts as a family-friendly treatise on the pros and cons of growing up. This iteration of SpongeBob (again voiced by Tom Kenny) now stands a specific height, a detail that excites him as it finally allows him to experience his dream rollercoaster. (An early, trippy gag: our enthusiastic hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) However, as in the finest contemporary American cartoons, the real thrill ride is the twisting narrative.

The Adventure for Swashbuckling Proof

SpongeBob's quest to obtain the fabled pirate license that will declare him a “big guy” brings him into a showdown with the spectral Flying Dutchman, voiced by the suddenly ubiquitous Mark Hamill. While the Dutchman's ghost ship introduces a grander scope, the film's visual style remains a charming bricolage of digimation and hand-crafted elements, forever highlighting satisfying, properly cartoonish visuals.

If its spitballing silliness will resonate when the lights come up is debatable, but it's a solid SpongeBob movie.

Memorable scenes include SpongeBob wedging himself into an AC unit and emerging somehow squarer than ever; a cameo from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a penalty sure to delight the six-year-old crowd: our hero being subjected to never-ending dishwashing.

The Verdict

Ultimately, Search for SquarePants is a solid entry to the series – and arguably the most humorous Pirates of the Caribbean movie recently, including a robust Davy Jones joke and a cheekily suggestive catchphrase for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” It's certain: those early students will likely be snickering all over again.

Coming to Theaters: The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants debuts on December 19th in the US, 20 December in Ireland, and December 26th in Australia and the UK.